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    Soapstone Mountain

    4.4 (10 reviews)

    Soapstone Mountain Photos

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    Thien N.

    A 2 mile point-to-point trail, Soapstone Mountain stands in the southeast corner of the of Somers. Bordering the town lines Ellington, Stafford, and Somers join -- it's great for all skill-types. The first .5 mile on pavement up to the observation tower can be a real ass-kicker depending on how ambitious/hardcore you are -- otherwise it's a fairly easy walk. There are several other trails up also. Immediately to the right of the parking lot is the Shenipsit Trail. Its blue-blazed and is another .5 mile ascent to the top. It starts off as a minute-long flat-terrain walk before becoming a very steep climb. My friends and I love/hate it. We jokingly call it "suicide hill" but it can be a real ass-kicker for beginners or the uninitiated. There are picnic areas along the road up to the tower, as well as an outdoor toilet at the top parking lot. Various forest trails can be used for hiking, mountain biking, horse-back riding, and cross-country skiing too. At the peak, the mountain is 1,075 feet and its views extend over Connecticut to the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont in clear weather. The views can't be beat on a clear day. Soapstone has to be one of favorites because it's really the only public mountaintop that has an observation tower east of the Connecticut River.

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    7 months ago

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    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Steep hike up but beautiful views at the top. Can drive up and walk trails up top of it's easier. Can get very crowded when it's nice out.

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    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
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    6 years ago

    I would think people would drive an hour to get to this place,for the outstanding views that this hiking trail has to offer.

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    6 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    Ask the Community - Soapstone Mountain

    Review Highlights - Soapstone Mountain

    Great hike with quite the steep incline at the very beginning with a very rewarding view up top the tower.

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    Mill Pond Park & Pond - Google image of the Mill Pond

    Mill Pond Park & Pond

    3.0(1 review)
    4.1 mi

    Have past by the Mill Pond Park crossing over the bridge with my former 4H'r on our way to the Fair…read moreGrounds. Often thinking, this Historic Mill Pond and upstream stretch of the Scantic River must be tackled. That day finally arrived. A later Monday afternoon in July. Should be quiet. Wrong, the Park was bustling. Busy with Park goers: Nature people by the pond, one person enjoying their laptop on a shaded picnic table, kids on the playscape, other kids fishing with a parent and some with a grandparent, and then there were the kayakers loading and others unloading bound for and some returning from the same adventure. A great Small Town feeling. I unloaded and hiked my kayak & gear down to the boat ramp. Chatted with a few, the usual, the great weather, did you fish, how far did you go or plan to go. Public Safety Notice: 1. The upper side of the Mill Dam is dangerous and boaters are warned to stay clear. 2. If you're a first timer like I was, bring a GPS to track your route out and back. There are many dead-end coves and depending on the water level numerous ways to lose the River. There are Orange markers/blazes to follow the River Trail. 3. Wear your Personal Flotation Device (PFD). The Pond, in July was weedy and there was a great deal of surface algae in sections of still water. The main flow of the Scantic was fairly clear and on this trip the water level allowed easier passage across sunken or semi-sunken obstacles. Yes, bugs abound, but so do fish for anglers and foul for watchers.

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    Mill Pond Park & Pond - Watch for downed trees above and below surface.

    Watch for downed trees above and below surface.

    Mill Pond Park & Pond - Ewww, warm season algae bloom, actually explosion.

    Ewww, warm season algae bloom, actually explosion.

    Mill Pond Park & Pond - Site of the former mill building gone park.

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    Site of the former mill building gone park.

    Dean Pond Recreation Area - Happy fishing!

    Dean Pond Recreation Area

    4.4(7 reviews)
    12.2 mi

    What a sweet little swimming spot! I last went to Dean Pond when I was a wee one, and seem to…read moreremember a sad little swimming area, no facilities and a non-existent beach (think "muck" between your toes and slimy little pond plants!). So...I really didn't have high expectations for this outing, but the pond is less than 15 minutes from my parents' house, so....off we went. Clearly, things have changed! The beach is now well defined AND nice and sandy (no muck....and good quality "sand castle sand" to boot!). My son and I had a great time playing, swimming and generally goofing around. The entry fee (parking) is $5, but that buys you a nice picnic area, changing facilities, real bathrooms, and nicely cared for grounds with plenty of room for sitting under the giant pines or eating a picnic meal. We went mid-week, and while there was a bus-load of campers, they were gone by 1pm, and we practically had the place to ourselves. This will definitely be a "must-go" place for us whenever we visit the grandparents!

    It used to be a nice place for a lunch but it needs work. Time has left it behind and it is a…read moredreary place. It is unfortunate that it has been so forgotten. Money needs to be allocated towards restoring this place so that it can be something the community can be proud of. Some trails where a few people walk dogs but not much else going on there.

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    Dean Pond Recreation Area - Lifeguards, too!

    Lifeguards, too!

    Dean Pond Recreation Area - Waterfront with beach

    Waterfront with beach

    Dean Pond Recreation Area - Haven't been to Dean Pond in 35 years. Very nice swimming hole!

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    Haven't been to Dean Pond in 35 years. Very nice swimming hole!

    Soapstone Mountain - hiking - Updated May 2026

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